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Chinenye Anuforo [email protected]
Artificial Intelligence (AI), sometimes called machine intelligence is intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence displayed by humans.
Artificial intelligence (AI) makes it possible for machines to learn from experience, adjust to new inputs and perform human-like tasks. Most AI examples that you hear about today from chess-playing computers to self-driving cars rely heavily on deep learning and natural language processing. Using these technologies, computers can be trained to accomplish specific tasks by processing large amounts of data and recognizing patterns in the data.
Use of artificial intelligence
Every industry has a high demand for AI capabilities especially question answering systems that can be used for legal assistance, patent searches, risk notification and medical research. Other uses of AI include:
Healthcare
AI applications can provide personalized medicine and X-ray readings. Personal health care assistants can act as life coaches, reminding you to take your pills, exercise or eat healthier.
Retail
AI provides virtual shopping capabilities that offer personalized recommendations and discuss purchase options with the consumer. Stock management and site layout technologies will also be improved with AI.
Manufacturing
AI can analyze factory IoT data as it streams from connected equipment to forecast expected load and demand using recurrent networks, a specific type of deep learning network used with sequence data.
Banking
Artificial Intelligence enhances the speed, precision and effectiveness of human efforts. In financial institutions, AI techniques can be used to identify which transactions are likely to be fraudulent, adopt fast and accurate credit scoring, as well as automate manually intense data management tasks.
However, in Nigeria, it a a concept that many are not familiar with, even though many countries of the world have already keyed into it in this 21st century, especially developed nations.
According to Jide Awe, an Information Communication Technology (ICT) expert though there are already pockets of activities in the country towards this technology, a lot still needs to be done. He said, “We need to create an enabling environment. An environment that enables the development and adoption of AI for its benefits and potentials is critical. AI readiness requires policies to handle the potential risks and opportunities, encourage investment in AI, public digital infrastructure, create regulations and standards. In order to be ready, the quality and penetration of connectivity in the country needs to improve.”
He explained that AI is already transforming the world and will transform major sectors. “Many nations are investing in AI in recognition of its disruptive impact. It is essential to ensure that our citizens have the skills to compete in the digital economy. There should be more investment in building capacity in AI knowledge, research and innovation. Considerations in developing talent should include: AI programs in tertiary institutions, short-term courses, online training and scholarships and fellowships.”
Continuing Awe, suggested that, a national AI strategy should look at how to use AI to contribute to growth, to meet the country’s needs. Identify and focus on priority areas. Strategies to promote the use and development of AI must pay attention to how it can be used to address local problems – to improve the effectiveness in the private and public sectors.
“It should be noted that AI can help or hinder inclusion and other societal concerns. Policies should therefore consider privacy, bias, ethical issues in developing and applying AI”, he said.
On his own part, Jimson Olufuye, former boss of African Information Communication Technology Alliance (AfICTA), bemoans Nigeria’s readiness to embrace AI, stressing that huge investment will be required for the purpose.
Olufuye says “AI requires huge investment and the need has to be there.
“Right now, the real need is not there yet, we are still struggling with the basic needs, as greater percentage of the population are still struggling to make ends meet.
“To embrace such technology, it requires critical mass and it is not in Nigeria, it is in Japan, China and U.S.
“Our development is still nascent, we need to tackle basic things first; we need to make sure there is seamless connectivity all around the country.
“For instance, we need to make sure that the new electoral act that endorses electronic voting is there so that results can be transmitted simultaneously to check fraud.”
According to Olufuye, there is little or no internet connectivity in many parts of the country, and calls for improvement.
